At least four people have been killed after days of heavy rain triggered widespread flooding and landslides across northern and central Vietnam, inundating more than 16,000 homes and disrupting transportation, authorities and local media reported Friday.

Although rainfall that had affected the region since Monday eased Thursday afternoon, floodwaters remained across large areas, particularly in low-lying communities and along major roads.

Three members of the same family were killed in a landslide in Da Bac Commune in Phu Tho province on Thursday, according to Vietnamese authorities. A fourth death was reported in Hanoi, where the body of a university student who had been missing since Thursday was found near the entrance to a drainage system leading toward a river. The student is believed to have been swept into the sewer during the flooding.

The Vietnam Disaster and Dyke Management Authority reported that 16,310 homes had been inundated as of Thursday evening, with Thanh Hoa, Ninh Binh and Hanoi among the worst-affected areas.

Thanh Hoa province recorded more than 8,400 flooded homes, while nearly 4,800 homes were inundated in Ninh Binh and more than 2,200 in Hanoi.

Four houses collapsed in Thanh Hoa, while dozens of others were damaged across several provinces.

The floods have also caused extensive damage to agriculture. More than 24,000 hectares of rice, crops and vegetables were inundated or damaged, while more than 1,100 hectares of aquaculture facilities were affected. Several irrigation canals and schools were also damaged or flooded.

Floodwaters and landslides have severely disrupted transportation across the affected region.

At least 11 landslide locations were reported to have blocked national and provincial roads, while numerous other roads remained submerged. The Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City railway was also affected, with water reaching about one meter in sections between Bim Son and Do Len, forcing passengers to be transported by road through the flooded area.

Near Hanoi, rising water levels in the Bui River left several rural communities isolated. Authorities evacuated about 150 families, comprising more than 500 people, from vulnerable low-lying areas.

Vietnamese authorities have activated disaster-response and search-and-rescue operations and instructed local administrations to closely monitor river levels and evacuate residents from areas threatened by flooding, flash floods and landslides.

Officials have also been maintaining round-the-clock emergency operations and monitoring vulnerable sections of roads, dikes and waterways.

The latest reports indicate that floodwaters remain a major concern despite the decline in rainfall, as rivers in several areas remain high and water continues to drain slowly from inundated communities.

Vietnam is particularly vulnerable to flooding because of its long coastline, extensive low-lying areas and exposure to tropical storms. Repeated episodes of severe flooding and landslides in recent years have caused significant damage to homes, infrastructure and agricultural production.

Officials continue to assess the damage and warn residents in vulnerable areas to remain alert as floodwaters gradually recede. (ILKHA)